Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has criticised Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Jingir over comments concerning the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Dalung’s response followed remarks attributed to Jingir in which the cleric urged Muslims to support political arrangements that favour Muslim-Muslim tickets and reportedly made comments concerning Christians.
The former minister questioned the basis for describing fellow Nigerians as “infidels”, arguing that political differences and religious identity should not be used to deepen divisions in the country.
Dalung’s intervention adds to a growing public debate over religion and political representation as political parties and prospective candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket remains one of the most sensitive political issues in Nigeria, particularly because of the country’s religious diversity and the competing expectations of Christian and Muslim communities.
Jingir’s recent comments have generated reactions from several political and public figures. Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, also criticised the position attributed to the cleric, insisting that Nigeria should not be defined as a Muslim country.
The latest exchanges have once again brought questions about religious inclusion, political representation and national unity to the centre of Nigeria’s emerging 2027 political conversation.
Dalung’s criticism comes at a time when politicians and religious leaders are increasingly weighing in on the likely political alignments ahead of the next presidential election.